Test cricket - does this remind you of SA racing's situation?

This is a really good article on the battle for survival of test cricket by Ed Smith, who writes for the London Times and for the ESPN cricket website. Several of the comments he makes remind me of the situation in which racing finds itself, trying to survive as a sport in a commercial world. Not all of his comments, of course, but read it and you'll see what I mean. There are definitely parallels, imho.

"Unsure how to adapt, worried about alienating its faithful fans, Test cricket muddles along, hoping a solution will emerge."

www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/624715.html

Not bad, but did he write it because he had nothing else to write about (the game was a dull draw) and if he had instead been sent to any of the Protes recent series might he have written an article on the bright future of test cricket?! It just seems that judging test cricket on a game between NZ and England on a dead pitch in a ground with capacity of 5300 and the press in a tent is not a fair reflection!

Tipster, if you read that article again you'll see Smith wasn't anti a small ground and primitive press accommodation. Rather he was trying to show how different the atmosphere was when he left the glass-enclosed commentary box and went down to join the crowd in the stands, with their thick jackets and cups of hot coffee, who entertained each other despite the slow going on the pitch.

And he was also pointing out that, despite the lack of scanty clothing and girls sunning themselves on the grass banks, there was still fun to be had for those who came to watch the match live. But for the TV watcher, who is in his own "glass box", the match was indeed very dull. And for an American, it would be unbelievable that this was a major international match, especially the casual, wander-off-after-a-few-handshakes ending! For these, commercialization of Test cricket may be the only way to go, with dancing girls, fireworks and email-us competitions. But it would sit very cross-craw with the Trad Brigade.

That game reminded me of going racing at Scottsville on a weekday, on a dark and drizzly Sleepy Hollow afternoon, with four maiden events to open proceedings and another maiden race to end it, where the highlight of the day is an MR 78. Only no cheerful crowds on the bleachers, making jokes and rude comments {sigh}.

I don't think Smith wrote it because he had nothing better to write. This is his type of article, a thoughtful in-depth coverage of issues rather than merely a summary of who hit how many runs and how the wickets fell. If he was to write the second type of article, then I agree with you, Proteas vs anybody would bring plenty fizz to the champers!

Arggg, I didn't express myself very well there!

But it seemed to me that, just as there is a tug-of-war between the Traditionalists and the Commercialists in test cricket, there is one occurring in racing too. Witness the coverage on Tellytrack, where the Commercialists, imho, won the game a couple of years ago.

Smith is afraid that going down one road in cricket will lose the values of the other road, and in the end may prove futile anyway. I've been wondering the same re racing in SA.

Imho, racing in SA has ceased now to be a sport, and as a commercial enterprise it is, shall we say, shaky.

Ok, but I just disgreed with him suggesting that test cricket needs some sort of solution.

I wondered whether he had nothing to write about because there have been many articles on the subject and in my opinion they are unnecessary. Imo there is nothing wrong with the health of test cricket, or at least its not in the same league as the problems facing racing.

e.g how many people cared that we lost a T20 game to Pakistan after annhilating them in the tests. I myself am not sure how many T20 games there were and only learnt of the defeat as well as the one day defeats to NZ (did they beat us too?) via the grapevine. IMO test cricket is all that counts and there are many, who still pack the grounds for tests,that would agree.

Is the risk of going for a "six" commensurate with its reward of only 6 runs? Me always believed a "6" should be a "10".